5 deaths, 5 injuries in Oakland over violent weekend
OAKLAND, Calif. - Pockets of gunfire erupted throughout Oakland over the weekend that included five deaths and five injuries ranging from a shooting in Chinatown to a freeway shooting near the zoo.
Oakland Deputy Police Chief Drennon Lindsey said Monday that three people have been detained in connection with two of the deadly shootings. She said the incidents do not appear to be linked to each other.
"They seem to be isolated incidents where, unfortunately, the conflicts, the disputes got out of hand where people lost their lives," Lindsey said.
Sunday
Oakland's most recent homicide victim was killed about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, when a 44-year-old man was shot in the 700 block of Webster Street in Oakland’s Chinatown.
The man, Phil Norawong, was taken to a hospital, where he died about five hours later, according to police and his family. Two people were detained in the killing, Lindsey said.
"It feels like someone just ripped my heart out, like shattered it into a zillion pieces," his sister Vicki Norawong said through sobs.
Another sister, Diana Norawong said, "He had people who loved him. He was a peacemaker. That's all he was doing, living his life, and the person who did it just senselessly took his life away."
Stewart Chen, president of the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council said the victim and his friends were harassed by another group as they left a restaurant. The victim said something in return, and someone in the other group opened fire, Chen said.
Chen said even though reacting can be instinctive, he urged people to be cautious.
"If you're harassed, just move on, keep your head down, do your business, ignore it. Do not engage," Chen said.
A 44-year-old man was killed in the 700 block of Webster Street in Oakland's Chinatown district. Feb. 26, 2023
He is the city's 17th homicide victim this year, compared to 16 at the same time last year, the East Bay Times reported.
In addition, the California Highway Patrol was sent to investigate the death of a woman shot early Sunday morning on an off-ramp from Interstate 580 in East Oakland.
A woman was found fatally shot about 1:50 a.m. on the Edwards Avenue exit, according to California Highway Patrol Sgt. Gavin Hensen.
He said CHP officers received a call from someone who saw a man attacking a woman next to a car that was pulled over. It turns out, she had been shot, Hansen said. The woman's body was seen lying on the road.
A woman was shot to death off I-580 by Edwards Avenue. Feb. 26, 2023
Also on Sunday, a 54-year-old woman at a taco food truck in the 4200 block of International Boulevard was shot by someone who opened fire from a nearby car, according to police. The woman suffered a gunshot wound to her hand.
Then, at 2:55 a.m. on Sunday, a 26-year-old man was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the 7800 block of Bancroft Avenue. He was taken to a hospital, and he is expected to survive, authorities said.
A drive-by shooting left a 54-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds in the 8500 block of International Boulevard, Oakland police said. Video showed the man being wheeled into an ambulance. Feb. 26, 2023
Saturday
On Saturday about 10 p.m., two men were shot while riding in a car in the 2300 block of 35th Avenue in East Oakland, according to police. Someone in another vehicle opened fire at them as they rolled down the block — leaving the men, ages 25 and 26, with gunshot wounds to their hands.
Just a few minutes before midnight on Saturday, a drive-by shooting left a 54-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the 8500 block of International Boulevard, Oakland police said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition early Sunday morning.
Friday
And on Friday, three people were killed in separate shootings that occurred over a three-hour period.
The first homicide was reported just before 8 p.m. at 72nd and International Boulevard when a 29-year-old man was shot to death leaving a liquor store, the East Bay Times reported.
Then, about 8:30 p.m., two blocks away on 70th and International, a San Francisco woman was found shot to death in a parked car, the East Bay Times reported.
Then, about 10:30 p.m. near 67th and Avenal avenues, police got another call about a shooting and found a 22-year-old man dead at the scene.
A gun was recovered at that home and a man was detained, police said.
The three East Oakland homicides happened in Councilmember Kevin Jenkins' district.
"As the voice of the community, it's deeply troubling for the community, the trauma this brings into our neighborhoods and the fact that people don't feel safe in their own home," Jenkins said.
A drive-by shooting left a 54-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds in the 8500 block of International Boulevard, Oakland police said. Feb. 26, 2023
A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in the killing in Oakland’s Chinatown district. Feb. 26, 2023